Assam: ULFA (I) hideout busted in Lakhipathar, arms recovered

Army and police in a joint operation on Thursday busted an ULFA (I) hideout and recovered a huge cache of weapons and ammunition from Lakhipathar area in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district.

According to Army sources, acting on an intelligence input regarding presence of two-three hardcore ULFA (I) rebels in Lakhipathar Forest Division, troops of 9th Battalion of Army’s Rajputana Rifles launched a search operation on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday and busted the camp.

The operation was launched as a pre-emptive measure against ULFA (I)’s preparation for subversive and sabotage activities against security forces in the wake of the outfit’s Martyr’s Day on July 27.

“During 24-hour long cordon and search operation in the thick jungles of Lakhipathar Forest Division, troops of 9th Battalion of the Rajputanta Rifles successfully chased down a hideout of the proscribed insurgent outfit which is highly active in Upper Assam,” said an Army official.

The official added that four pistols, one revolver, two rounds of ammunition of 40 mm MGL (Multi Shot Grenade Launcher), 11 rounds of ammunition of 9 mm revolver, 16 rounds of 2.2mm pistol, one round of AK-47 rifle, a radio set, battery with charger and few mobile phones and demonetized currency notes of Rs 1,49,000 were recovered from the hideout.

Recently, the 9th Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles under Laipuli Brigade has conducted several successful operations to mitigate the impact of ULFA (I) in Upper Assam, he said.

This operation is a part of major ongoing crack down by security forces against the militant outfits active in Upper Assam, he added.

The official further said that to commemorate Martyr’s Day on July 27, the proscribed ULFA (I) rebels have intensified their malicious activities like subversion, sabotage against security forces and other pre-assigned tasks.

Their presence and movement in upper Assam are being continuously reported by intelligence agencies and local sources, the official said.

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